Congratulations on your new canine companion.
Whether you’ve adopted an older dog or are bringing home a puppy. It is both an exciting and confusing time for your dog. Patience and preparation are absolutely important for a successful adjustment.
Supplies
Collar, leash, food (food and water bowls), and some toys. We recommend the purchase of a crate. This will aid in housetraining and give your dog a comfortable area to call his own.
Homecoming
Try to arrange the homecoming at a time when you can spend a few days of constant one on one time with your dog. A week of vacation time is ideal or just before the weekend.
Health Care
Animals coming from shelters may not have been fully vaccinated. Despite proper attention some viruses still spread and may affect the dog you’re adopting. Make sure any other animals currently in your home are healthy and completely vaccinated for their protection. Have a veterinarian check out the health of your new dog/puppy. Don’t forget to be a responsible pet owner and have your dog spayed or neutered!
House Rules
Consistency is key when it comes to setting routines! Decide in advance who is going to be responsible for walking, feeding, and housetraining. Now is also a good time to decide whether Fido is going to be allowed on the furniture, where he’s going to sleep and if he is going to have access to the whole house or if some rooms are going to be off limits. It is much easier to start off with desirable behaviours than it is to change them later.
Training and Discipline
Your dog needs to know that YOU are the boss. Dogs are pack animals and you want to make certain that you are the pack leader right from day one. When you catch Fido doing something that he shouldn’t, keep calm. In a firm disapproving tone, tell him “wrong”. Don’t forget to praise your dog when he does something right. A few treats or rewards make all the difference. Our Obedience Classes are a huge help in this area.
Housetraining
Routine and consistency are extremely important when housetraining. Check out our Behaviour Modification section for more information and helpful hints.
Crating
This is not puppy jail! Your dog has an innate “den” instinct. A crate can make all the difference in housetraining and give your dog a safe area that he can call his own. You should purchase a crate that will be large enough to accommodate your dogs full grown size. To reduce the risk of accidents in his crate, make the size of the crate smaller with a divider. Start off by introducing the crate slowly. Only leave your dog in it for a few minutes at a time until he’s comfortable, gradually increasing the time he spends in his crate. Try using a command and a treat to get him into the crate, “Time for crate” as you throw in a treat.
